An evening showcasing some of Scotland’s freshest talent.
Brooke Combe
Brooke Combe was the first support act of the evening; she is a 21-year-old singer songwriter from Edinburgh and she took to the stage to play a lovely half an hour set of both originals and covers. Brooke recently won Best Breakthrough Female Artist at the Scottish Music Awards and its easy to see why; her voice is strong and soulful and her performance was captivating from the offset. It was a pleasure to catch her live for the first time and I definitely hope the opportunity arises to see her again soon.
The Ninth Wave
It was also my first time seeing The Ninth Wave who hail from Glasgow. I’ve heard good things about post-punk fourpiece, and fair to say they exceeded my expectations. Their set was jam packed with raw energy; all gothic synths, thunderous drums and brilliant guitars. This band is going places and I’d highly suggest catching one of their live dates if you want to see them showcase their talents.
The Snuts
At 9:15pm the headliners walked on stage. Frontman Jack was iconic as ever donned in shades and bucky bottle in hand, after a quick greeting they jumped in and started off their set with the massive ‘Glasgow’ which is always a fan favourite at the lads’ live sets, a song about moving from West Lothian to ‘the big bad city’ the anthemic track had everyone singing along from the offset.
‘All Your Friends’ followed with its distinctive rich guitar notes and maintains the pace, also a crowd pleaser live this track touches on the subject of drug use. ‘Always’ delivered a slightly more mellow sound but equally matched the feel-good energy and hooks. The funk filled ‘Juan Belmonte’ was up next and oozes style; massive hooks, fuzzy guitars and a giant chorus make this a live hit. The catchy ‘Seasons’ was another highlight with its soaring choruses, a superb tune.
The set slowed down for the tender and melodic ‘Boardwalk’, it builds even more beautifully live and we get a second to catch our breath. ‘Top Deck’ follows suit with acoustic guitar and some subtle strings. Tracks like these really showcase the diversity of The Snuts’ song writing skill. The moshpits were back in full swing for ‘Coffee and Cigarettes’, a stomping rock anthem which appreciates the simpler things in life and is one of my favourites live. Floor stomping ‘Don’t Forget It (Punk)’ gives ‘a middle finger to your favourite band’ with its thrashing guitar and scuzzy bass.
Then the infectious sounds of ‘Maybe California’ filled the room, swaggeringly fun and bright it’s impossible not to enjoy. Similarly, ‘Elephants’ offers a catchy chorus and radio friendly vibes, as does the emotive pop hit ‘Somebody Loves You’ which was another highlight, showcasing Jacks impressive vocals backed by a string quartet which added a whole other dimension to their live sound. After ‘No Place I’d Rather Go’ soared through the venue the band walked off stage and the crowd began to chant, demanding an encore.
They came back on stage for a few final songs and played the beautiful ’4 Bailie Street’. The moment I was waiting for; this track is one of my favourites off the album, a really special and moving song. After the second chorus when Jack sang “won’t you meet me at the loft at 4 Bailie Street” and it built into a crescendo of violins I got goosebumps. Truly nothing compares to the feeling of hearing one of your favourite songs live for the first time. Also closing the set off were the massive bass heavy ‘What’s Going On’ followed by the euphoric ‘Sing For Your Supper’; both were huge crowd pleasers that got everyone in the audience singing along.
A massive thanks to The Snuts, Brooke Combe and The Ninth Wave for a brilliant night packed with talent and energy!
